Soccer Notebook: Area planners hope to land World Cup

JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ, Copyright 2010 Houston Chronicle |
May 15, 2010

The U.S. delegation included national team captain Carlos Bocanegra, center, while submitting a bid for the 2018 or 2022 World Cups.

England sent star David Beckham to present the country's Bid Book to FIFA, and the U.S. delegation included national team captain Carlos Bocanegra on Friday while submitting the USA Bid Committee's Bid Book for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.

Mark Miller and Tagliarino are SMG-Reliant Park's representatives; the visitors bureau is also represented by Greg Ortale.

“We just got done with a successful 2010 NCAA South Regional,” Tagliarino said. “We're hosting the NCAA Final Four in 2011 and we'll be hosting the Final Four again in 2016. We've done the All-Star Games. We've done the Super Bowl, and the World Cup would just be icing on the cake.”

Tagliarino encourages fans to sign a petition at gousabid.com and specifically gousabid.com/city/local/HOUSTON-TX.

“Go vote for Houston to get the World Cup,” Tagliarino said. “Go vote for the USA to get the World Cup. It's really critical that we get a lot of people to pledge their support with that petition.”

A crowded field

Like the U.S., Australia is bidding for 2018 and 2022. The other bidders for 2018 are England, which some consider the favorite, Russia and joint bids submitted by the Netherlands-Belgium and Portugal-Spain.

Japan, Qatar and South Korea are competing against the U.S. and Australia for the 2022 World Cup.

World-class swap meet

Andrew Hainault doesn't enter international matches with the goal of exchanging jerseys with some of the greatest stars in the world. As far as he's concerned, that wouldn't be a proper mind-set to carry against some of the top soccer stars.

Nonetheless, the Dynamo defender might have a chance to exchange jerseys May 24 with some of the greatest players in the world when the Canadian national team faces Argentina in Buenos Aires.

Hainault and Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Onstad earned a call from the Canadian national team to face coach Diego Maradona's squad at legendary Estadio Monumental.

“It's always a great honor to get called up,” Hainault said. “Obviously, it will be more special for this one because it's against Argentina in Argentina. It makes it even more special, one of the world powerhouses, at the national stadium that's home to River Plate. ”

Onstad and Hainault will leave the Dynamo on Monday, meaning they're likely to miss Saturday's game against D.C. United at Robertson Stadium.

For Onstad, 42, the appearance for his national team could be his 57th and first since August 2008. Hainault, 23, earned his 16th cap for Canada in January against Jamaica.